NBA Free Agency 2012: Knicks Foolish to Re-Sign Steve Novak Long-Term

The New York Knicks just signed Steve Novak to a four-year, $15 million deal, guaranteeing that he stays in the Big Apple long-term.

Yes, you read that right. Four years and $15 million for a shooter.

When Jeremy Lin was the starting point guard, Novak was very effective and seemed to find openings on the court with ease.However, he struggles against elite perimeter defenders, a fact which is evident in his mediocre playoff performance against the Miami Heat.

In 19 minutes of work per game, the sharpshooter averaged only 2.4 points. He also averaged only 0.8 three pointers made per game in the series. Novak is also a liability on the defensive end of the floor and cannot be counted on when the team needs a stop.

Quite frankly, paying a spot-up shooter $15 million is outrageous, especially since New York acquired a solid three-point shooter in his own right, Jason Kidd.

By paying Lin (in all likelihood) and Novak $45 million in combined contracts, New York will likely need to pay a heavy luxury tax in the future.

I can understand giving Novak a one- or two-year deal because he was valuable to the team at times.

However, a four-year deal is head scratching, considering that the three-point marksman is already twenty-nine years old.